It is well known that, in the wake of the terrorist attacks of Sep. 11, 2001 in New York City, Washington, DC and Pennsylvania, heightened security concerns have given rise to new solutions to the many problems associated with screening individuals to prevent terrorist activities. The present inventor has provided one such solution that is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,484,650 that issued on Nov. 26, 2002 to Stomski, which Patent is incorporated herein by reference.
That patent shows a security system for queues or lines of individuals, such as airline passengers, awaiting screening to move from an un-secure airport area into a secure boarding area. The system includes a series of adjacent, bullet-resistant, transparent chambers having a door interlock system so that an individual may enter an entry chamber, and progress through the series of chambers while being progressively screened. Simultaneously,: a conveyor in an adjacent surveillance chamber moves the individual's personal belongings along through an X-ray device while the individual is monitored and screened for weapons, etc. The door interlock system provides for rapid movement of the individual through the series of chambers, but restricts exit from the chambers during monitoring. If the individual is found to be carrying or transporting weapons, or otherwise presents a security risk, the individual may be moved through an outer access door by security personnel, while other individuals progress through the chambers.
Many other security systems are known that include restricted entry and exit chambers, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,308,644, U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,448, U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,441, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,338. While these provide for isolating a potential terrorist during a screening search, because of the limited mobility and structural limitations of such known security systems, the systems are of virtually no or limited value in screening individuals at areas of a high security demand for a limited period of time, such as an area receiving a visit by a head of state, etc.
Additionally, no known security systems also provide for rapid screening of potential terrorists as well as containment of hazardous materials a terrorist may seek to unleash in a “suicide attack”. For example, the well-known anthrax attacks on the U.S. Senate Office buildings of the Fall and Winter of 2001–2002 presented an enormous security risk of a microscopic bio-hazard. If such a lethal contaminant were to be carried into a high security area with a temporary high population density and unleashed by a suicide bomber, the results could very well be catastrophic. Moreover, other known microscopic substances, such as toxic bacteria or viruses, cyanide, and similar toxic, chemical compounds, may be utilized as weapons against high security targets by suicidal fanatics. (For purposes of convenience herein, all such bio-hazard materials, toxic chemical compounds, explosives or any other materials that pose a risk to humans and that may be dispersed by terrorists by any means for purposes of terror, and also including illegal drugs or contraband, will hereinafter be characterized for convenience as “hazardous materials”.)
Consequently, there is a need for a security screening apparatus that may be readily transported to areas of a short-term, high security demand, and that may be provided to support screening potential terrorists at the areas including a small to a very large number of individual attendees. There is also a need for a security apparatus that can not only screen potential terrorists, but that can also contain any hazardous materials transported by potential terrorists upon detection of the hazardous materials to prohibit contamination of the area of high security demand by the detected hazardous materials.